Taylor Paige ’15

1. What was your major/minor and when did you graduate?

I majored in Business Administration with a minor in Economics

2. What is your current position (title, company, location)?  Can you describe a typical day?

I’m currently the Assistant Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. Every day in this field is a little different; the fall season is based around recruiting on the weekends and a four week fall ball season. The spring consists of practicing six days a week, game film, scouts, more day to day meetings with players.

3. How did your major prepare you for your current job?

Being a business major helped prepare me for the office side of this job; budget planning, organizational leadership, sales aka recruiting, logistics, etc. Although my job can be about x’s and o’s a higher percentage of my tasks are spent working within a budget, planning team travel, speaking with potential student athletes and selling them the product that is Shenandoah Lacrosse.

4. How did you become interested in your field?

I was a student-athlete while at Mary Washington on the women’s lacrosse team. Over the summers I would work with different club teams and that sparked my interest in wanting to pursue coaching. It wasn’t something that I figured out that I truly wanted until I graduated and started interviewing for 9-5 jobs.

5. What’s the best career advice you ever received?

Wherever you are make an impact and soak up the knowledge of the people around you for good or for bad. Sometimes it takes some time to learn what you do not like to know what you truly want.

6. Was there a professor, advisor, or fellow student who made an impression on you or helped you when you were at UMW?

Dean Richardson made a huge impact on me during my time at Mary Washington. I remember being so shocked that the Dean of the college actually taught a course and that’s something I tell people all the time about the College of Business. The faculty in the department truly are hands on and know each student. Dean Richardson is amazing and is always there for me when I need advice about a career move or life in general. Her soft smile is infectious.

7. What’s your fondest memory of UMW?

I’ll always remember the spring of my sophomore year when Chandler was being torn down and the last few weeks of classes students were able to write on the walls.

8. How would your family or friends describe you in seven words or less?

Humble, hardworking, dedicated, blunt, authentic

9. In one sentence, what advice would you give current business students? 

Don’t be afraid to take risks after you graduate and don’t always do what’s comfortable.